Kansas State University researchers are identifying if and how feed mill biosecurity could be involved with disease transmission. The efforts are important as U.S. swine producers brace for possible African swine fever challenges. Source: National Hog Farmer, April, 24, 2019. Link. A lot of what we have learned about how to assess biosecurity and personnel compliance has … [Read more...]
Archives for April 2019
Spring can cause somatic cell counts to spike
The wet weather and warmer temperatures of spring provide the perfect opportunity for bacteria to breed and wreak havoc on milk quality, writes Taylor Leach. To stay ahead of a springtime somatic cell count spike; focus on cow comfort, cow cleanliness and precise milking protocols. Source: Dairy Herd Management, April 29, 2019. Link. Leach shares good reminders about cow … [Read more...]
Understanding sexlink hybrid chickens
Don Schrider delves into chicken breeds, crossbreeding and explains how sexlink chickens produce dependable gender offspring for retail locations to sell. He includes a good history of breeds and crossbreds to expand your chicken knowledge if you are unfamiliar with commercial or backyard chicken production. His information is useful for veterinary teams and retailers … [Read more...]
Coprophagia, pica and the funny eating habits of horses
David Ramey, DVM, offers information about horses’ eating habits and the many things they ingest. In the wild, horses eat in 23 of 24 hours during the day. Eating like a horse, indeed. Source: Horse Network, February 2019. Link. Equine nutritionists . . . have found that horses really only seek out energy, water, salt, and fiber. INSIGHTS: Equine veterinary teams as well as … [Read more...]
Equine rabies often insidious and vague in horses
We often picture unnaturally aggressive skunks, raccoons or dogs foaming at the mouth when we think of rabies. Although it isn’t widely found among horses in the United States, veterinarians diagnose about 40 cases per year. Betsy Greene relates that the potential risk of human exposure from even one infected horse is concerning. Source: The Horse, April 2019. Link. Greene … [Read more...]
Depression among customers hurts us all
Production agriculture can be isolating. This tends to intensify feelings like grief, depression, anger, blame, resentment and a feeling of failure, writes Amanda Radke. She curated a series of articles on mental health issues with farmers and ranchers. Beyond our own issues with high veterinary suicide rates, some of our better customers are also hurting. Mental health issues … [Read more...]
Formula, cat years x 7 = human years, no longer valid
The timeworn cat age formula no longer holds true, writes Elizabeth Vecsi. A cat celebrating his first birthday is actually the equivalent of a person who is 15 years old, a 10-year-old cat is the equivalent of 56 and a 17-year-old cat is the equivalent of 84. Source: Catnip, April 26, 2019. Link. New Feline Life Stages Guidelines developed jointly by the AAFP and AAHA … [Read more...]
Deal with canine noise phobias
Thunderstorm season is a challenging time for many dogs and their owners. Noise phobia describes the intense and irrational fear displayed to certain sounds by some dogs. Fear is a normal emotional response to a real or perceived threat or situation but they can escalate to a phobia that can emotionally cripple a dog. Nicholas Dodman, BVMS estimates close to 50 percent of dogs … [Read more...]
Fun, easy brain games for dogs help them bond with owners
John Wood provides some great games to help dog owners bond with their dogs. The dog-human social contract is all about our relationship with our dogs. Play builds relationships. Behavior training is important, but so is play. Source: Dogster, April 16, 2019. Link. Playing brain games for dogs can help to alleviate boredom and prevent destructive behaviors such as chewing … [Read more...]
Stevie the pit bull was likely high
Megan Stadler, DVM, and Julien Guillaumin, DVM, DACVECC, DECVECC, present the case of Stevie, a pit bull presented for an emergency examination approximately three hours after the owner noticed an acute onset of lethargic behavior. The owner affirmed that Stevie had the potential for recent marijuana exposure, but there was no way to confirm it. Stevie’s experience is a … [Read more...]
Experts weigh in on pet-safe houseplants
“Even just the fertilizer that the plant sits in can be a problem,” says Stephanie Liff, DVM. Liza Corsillo sought her arborist and educator Ben Team about pet safety with houseplants. She includes specific species and links to resources for acquiring them. This is informative fit for social media and e-newsletters to help educate pet owners. Source: New York Magazine, April … [Read more...]
Opinion – Pets becoming part of long-term eldercare
A Google search produces dozens of visiting pet organizations that provide pet therapy visits to elder care facilities. The results are positive and the organizations require visiting pets to be trained for such activities. Ramona Marek reviews a growing trend of allowing seniors to bring their pet from home when they enter a care facility. I’m supportive of fur, feathers … [Read more...]
Items of interest from JAVMA News
These items from the recent JAVMA News provide perspective for animal health pros: AVMA launches Axon, a new online CE platform < link >. This online learning platform provides a place for the entire veterinary team to access the AVMA's full library of digital learning, earn CE, and acquire skills for personal and professional development. The veterinary student … [Read more...]
Opinion – Adjust clinic visits to appeal to millennials
Architect Paul Gladyz offers thought-provoking ideas about how to adjust the veterinary visit to meet the experience-desiring millennials. As a father of millennials, his perspective is personal, as well as professional. Millennials want their experiences to work toward an enjoyable life. Source: Today’s Veterinary Business, April 2019. Link. The fact remains millenials are … [Read more...]
Leave wildlife wild
“Young wild animals are rarely abandoned or orphaned,” said Missouri Department of Conservation State Wildlife Veterinarian Sherri Russell. “The wildlife parent is afraid of people and will retreat when you approach.” . . . most wild mothers do not abandon their young because of a human smell on them, and most young wild animals do not survive in captivity. Source: Missouri … [Read more...]
Acknowledgement is not agreement
Some people have difficulty acknowledging other points of view, especially when they do not agree with them. Consequently, it is almost impossible to discuss an idea when we have opposing viewpoints. To make it easier, try thinking that you are acknowledging the other person’s right to a different point of view. Source: Vet-Advantage Magazine, April 9, 2019. Link. Our … [Read more...]
Karen Parker, DVM, joins AHD as a contributor
Karen Parker, DVM, and owner of Park Marketing in Austin, Texas, joins the growing list of AHD expert contributors. We welcome her expertise in human resources management and marketing. Parker launched her firm earlier this year after serving as director of marketing and recruitment for Innovetive Petcare. While there, she led a project that helps the veterinary profession … [Read more...]
Keep those mosquitos away
Mosquitoes are a worldwide problem and the solutions are the same no matter where you live. The best way to avoid mosquito borne diseases, such as heartworm, is to keep the mosquitos away. Protecting animals from vector mosquitoes remains an animal health priority. Here are two references to consider as you deal with the pesky bugs. Source: How to keep mosquitoes away, … [Read more...]
Measure social brand equity to know what clients are saying
You have worked to establish a social media presence, but how do you count its value? An article in Social Media Today suggests you monitor your brand equity and your brand’s perception among consumers using the ADPR measurement framework: Awareness: How powerful is your brand? Is the brand seen and generating awareness on social media? Desirability: Is your brand … [Read more...]
Finish!
You have only a few days left in April writes Benjamin Hardy. It doesn't matter what has happened before. It matters what you'll do now, and until the finish. The better you get at finishing things, the more confidence you'll have. Finish <this month> better than you've ever finished a month. Allow yourself to sprint powerfully to a finish line. Here is some of his … [Read more...]
Sponsored Content – Rethinking the way veterinary medicine does retail (video)
Finance expert Fritz Wood talks about the challenges the veterinary industry faces when it comes to carrying and selling products, as well as why services such as Hills to Home are worth considering. Veterinarians can ill-afford to walk away or lose a third of their business Source: NAVC Spark, April 19, 2019. Link. . . . is this (inventory business) a business I really … [Read more...]
Manage your email inbox
Your computer or phone buzzes with another burst of emails. “You’ve got mail,” is no longer a welcome notification. Mary Squillace offers 10 ways to manage your email inbox, according to those who get 100 or more emails per day: Only keep emails requiring immediate action in your inbox Create a “waiting folder” for action-pending emails Make subfolders or labels your … [Read more...]
Actuaries develop healthy life expectancy tool
A team at the Goldenson Center for Actuarial Research is focusing on developing a rigorous measure of quality of life. They are working to determine how many healthy years of life you have before you become unhealthy. Given our industry’s aging professional population, you will value this information, the calculator and its implications. Please note, the calculator is still … [Read more...]
Goat packing revisited
We first posted content about pack goats in September 2016. < link > Theresa Miller shares her experience with pack goats and discusses how they carry gear for camping, hunting and trail maintenance into the Rocky Mountains. Goats are well suited to the high country. Their surefooted nature makes them able to navigate steeper, rougher, and less-maintained trails than … [Read more...]
Dairy goats expanding faster than any major livestock group
The U.S. dairy goat herd grew 61 percent between 2007 and 2017, according to the latest Census of Agriculture. Numbers for hens and beef cattle were flat. Numbers for specialty animals dropped out of sight. While goat numbers are predicted to continue increasing, the business is not without challenges. Source: Washington Post, April 23, 2019. Link. . . . To this day, banks … [Read more...]
Managing persistently infected calves key to BVD prevention
It’s a story we have been told over and over. Yet, we still see BVD sneak into herds. One of the most common ways it spreads is with persistently infected (PI) calves. Chris Chase, DVM, says the biggest issue with BVD is in herds that haven’t been testing calves with an ear-notch program and where biosecurity is not great. Monitoring for BVD is very important because when the … [Read more...]
Get colostrum fed to calves. Period.
Feeding colostrum can set a calf up for success from the start. Micheal Steele studied colostrum delivery methods and found no real difference between bottles, bags or tubes. Just get the colostrum into calves immediately” – Michael Steele Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, April 22, 2019. Link. INSIGHTS: This quick read can help open up good discussions about using colostrum . . . … [Read more...]
Myths and truths of equine cribbing
Several factors that seem to contribute to acquiring a cribbing habit, says Tina Steward, DVM. Such as: Dietary lack of roughage Diet of sweetened feeds Long periods without feed Emotional and physical stress Genetic, heritable traits Lots of forage and friends are the best management tools for cribbers and cribbing prevention. Source: Dressage Today, … [Read more...]
Fix stinky chicken coops
Jeremy Chartier shares a few tips to fix chicken coop smells or at least understand the issue. The booming urban chicken trend has neighborhoods dealing with new odors. The most likely culprit is ammonia. Ammonia is a natural byproduct found in poultry manure and when in vapor form, smells incredibly strong and foul. Source: Countryside Daily, July 20, 2018. Link. In the … [Read more...]
China doesn’t know how many pigs ASF has killed
In documented moves that foster public distrust of the government, Chinese officials are not creating an atmosphere of trust when it comes to producers reporting African Swine Fever (ASF), a disease that has claimed more than 1 million pigs to date. Reality may be worse as farmers are not reporting all the infections. This underreporting and low official response is a pattern … [Read more...]